Obviously, this pizza would be super fun to make for Valentine’s Day, but it’s fun for any pizza night.
How to Shape a Heart-shaped Pizza
The good news about this pizza is you can use almost any pizza dough to make it. I prefer a no-knead pizza dough, which I usually make the night before I’m planning to have pizza. There are two basic ways to shape your pizza dough into a heart. First, be sure your dough is at room temperature. If it’s cold, it will be very hard to shape.
Stretch method. You can use your hands to work around the dough and slowly stretch it into a heart. This will be not 100% perfect in shape, but you won’t waste dough. You’ll probably end up with slightly thicker crust around the point and top of the heart since the dough will have a tendency to bunch up there as you shape it.Cut method. This is my preferred method even though you lose a little dough in the process. Roll the dough out into a perfect circle and then use a dough scraper or pizza cutter to cut the indent out of the top of the heart and then stretch and cut the bottom of the heart for the point. Easy and looks really good!
Cutting the Pepperoni Hearts
While you absolutely don’t have to cut your pepperoni into heart shapes, it’s a nice touch and has an added bonus of giving you extra pepperoni pieces! To make a heart-shaped pepperoni, fold the pepperoni in half and then use a paring knife or kitchen scissors to cut an angle off the top piece. Then trim around the edge to form the point of the heart. It’s really easy once you get the hang of it. Save all of your pepperoni trimmings to put under your cheese for maximum pepperoni flavor!
Homemade Pizza Sauce
I’ve included a recipe for an herb pizza sauce which has a lot of dried herbs in it. It’s easy to stir together and really good. If you want more of an onion/garlic style pizza sauce, use the sauce I made for these easy pepperoni pizzas.
Tips and Tricks for Awesome Pepperoni Pizza
It’s hard to go wrong with pizza if you are making your dough and sauce and using good ingredients. Here are a few tips I use to maximize pizza deliciousness.
Use a pizza stone. If you don’t have one, they are a few bucks and really hold the heat of your oven and make for a better crust. Worth the investment! (Be sure to open and window and turn on a fan as they can create some smoke as they cook).Maximize the pepperoni. When making pepperoni pizza, dice up some extra pepperoni and add it to the sauce under the cheese. Have some restraint with toppings. Don’t pile on so much cheese and pepperoni that you can’t see the sauce or crust. Make enough for leftovers. Leftover pizza is the best!
Sick of Pepperoni? Try These Variations!
BBQ Chicken: Store-bought or homemade BBQ sauce with smoked gouda, shredded chicken, red onion, and cilantro Hawaiian Pizza: Diced ham with diced pineapple (if you are using canned pineapple, be sure to dry it well before adding it to the pizza) Sausage and Peppers: Crumbled Italian sausage and thinly sliced red and green peppers is one of my favorite pizza combinations!
The Best Way to Reheat Pizza
If you have leftover pizza, the best way to reheat it perfectly is to heat it with a drizzle of oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Cover the pizza so the cheese melts and the skillet will get that crust super crispy and delicious.
Pep It Up With More Pepperoni
Pepperoni Rolls Pepperoni Calzones Pepperoni Pizza Pockets Pizza Casserole Homemade Pizza Bagel
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
For the pizza
1 pound fully risen pizza dough Flour, for dusting the counter 10-12 large-diameter (about 1 1/2 inches) pepperoni slices 12 ounces low-moisture mozzarella, shredded (about 3 cups) Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Option 1: Use a dough scraper, kitchen scissors, or pizza cutter to carve a heart out of the dough. This results in a cleaner looking heart, but you lose some dough. Option 2: Use your hands to shape the dough into a rough heart. You’ll keep more dough and have a thicker crust, but it’s hard to get a really well-defined heart this way. Garnish with fresh basil leaves. Let the pizza cool briefly, slice it, and serve. Did you love the recipe? Leave us stars below!
